About Us

Honoring and Preserving the National Memory of World War II
Creating the Next “Greatest Generation” of Tomorrow

Founded in 2007, the Friends of the National World War II Memorial (Friends) is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to honoring and preserving the national memory of World War II and to creating the next Greatest Generation of tomorrow. Friends considers it our sacred duty to teach the lessons of yesterday in order to unite the generations of tomorrow. To meet this mission, Friends hosts an annual teachers conference in Washington, DC; sponsors an annual public lecture series featuring prominent historians; and collects and archives video interviews of World War II veterans and other members of the WWII generation. Additionally, Friends has the lead responsibility in planning, staging, and funding five or more major national commemorative events annually. Friends recently completed a four-year WWII 75th Anniversary Commemoration marking every major battle in which American troops participated during World War II, hosting more than 80 commemorative and educational programs since December 2016. Friends relies on private support to breathe new life into the Memorial and to ensure that it continues to serve as a living lesson for all Americans.

Leadership and Staff